Pakistan Cricket Board sacks COO Altaf

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday sacked its Chief Operating Officer Saleem Altaf, hours after its Governing Council members recommended his removal.

The decision to fire Altaf was in the offing as PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt was not happy with his working style and the two did not even were not even talking for quite some time.

A PCB spokesman said that a letter has been shot to Altaf by Wasim Bari, the Director - Human Resources, stating that his services were no longer required by the Board.

"Saleem Altaf has been told not to attend office from Tuesday," the spokesman said.

Early on Monday, the council members had signed a summary recommending his removal and had sent it to the PCB Chairman. This is for the second time that Altaf has been removed from his position.

Altaf was also dismissed by former Chairman Naseem Ashraf last June but he appealed his termination in the High Court which restored his services.

Earlier, when contacted Butt had said he was not aware of any recommendation made by the council members. "I can't comment on this until I have seen the summary," Butt said.

Governing Council member Shakil Shaikh said Altaf's appointment last year was done in a hurry.

"But now there is ample time for members to decide who is best to take over as the new COO," he said.

Sources confirmed that relations between Butt and Altaf had soured recently when the latter confronted the Chairman twice on taking unilateral decisions and not taking other officials into confidence.

Another council member Muhammad Ali Shah said he expected the Chairman to consult and get approval of the members before nominating a new COO.

"We want to bring in someone who knows cricket and can do well."

Altaf said that he had yet to receive any such termination notice from the Board.

"When I left office today there was no such letter to given to me. If it has been issued late in the day then I will look at it," he said.

Altaf also made it clear that his termination of services was illegal and unjustified. "I retain the right to seek justice in the higher courts. I have been punished for questioning the one man show in the Board," he said.